Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the seasoned Indian pacer, has voiced his thoughts on his prolonged absence from the national team, having last played for India in 2022. The 35-year-old's last appearance was during the T20 World Cup semi-final against England in Adelaide, a match where India suffered a crushing 10-wicket defeat.

Since that match, while many of his teammates have found their way back into the T20I setup, Kumar, along with KL Rahul, has remained out of favor. Despite a strong showing in the IPL 2025, where he took 17 wickets in 14 matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), a performance that contributed to RCB's maiden IPL title, the selectors have not recalled him.

When asked about his chances of donning the Indian colors again, Kumar stated that the selectors are the ones who can answer that question. He insists his job is to give his all on the field, and he is committed to doing just that. He further added that if he gets the opportunity to play for Uttar Pradesh in formats like Mushtaq Ali, Ranji Trophy, or One-Day matches after the UP league, he will strive to perform his best.

Kumar's message is simple: he will keep bowling and performing, leaving the rest to fate, his form, and the selectors. He is currently playing for the Meerut Mavericks in the Uttar Pradesh Premier League 2025, where he has taken nine wickets in eight games with an economy rate of 6.76.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's impressive international record includes 121 ODIs, 21 Tests, and 87 T20Is, with a total of 294 international wickets. Despite these statistics, he has been out of the national setup for almost three years. While fitness and form were cited as reasons after 2022, Kumar has consistently played in domestic matches and maintained a disciplined training schedule, focusing on fitness and accuracy.

Kumar indirectly hinted at selection factors beyond just performance, stating that sometimes luck does not favor you, no matter how well you perform. He remains hopeful for a comeback, especially with Rajeev Shukla now in charge of the BCCI on an interim basis. Kumar believes that consistent performance cannot be ignored for long and that Shukla's presence will make it difficult to overlook talent.

Despite being dropped after the 2022 T20 World Cup, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has not given up on his dream of playing for India again. He remains focused on his fitness and performance, and is determined to continue playing as long as his body allows.

Another player in a similar situation is Hanuma Vihari, who last played a Test for India in 2022. Vihari has been performing well in domestic cricket, aiming for a Test comeback. He is focused on improving his game and enjoying it, hoping to score enough runs in the Ranji Trophy to return to the Test team.